Would the A's Have Made the Playoffs with Ron Washington as Manager?

Ron Washington. Or Bob Geren. 

Ron Washington or Bob Geren. 

Ron Washington or Bob Geren? 

That was the question that general manager Billy Beane had to answer when trying to fill the position of skipper of the Oakland Athletics following the 2006 season.

The A’s had been swept out of the playoffs by the Detroit Tigers, and Ken Macha was subsequently fired—despite leading them to the ALCS for the first time in 14 seasons. Whatever Macha lacked needed to be fulfilled by the incoming new manager. Beane’s decision to name the replacement rested on the teeter-totter of Ron Washington and Bob Geren. 

At the time, Washington seemed to have been the incumbent, as he had served for 11 seasons on the A’s coaching staff in a variety of capacities, most notably as the infield coach from 1997 to 2006. His tutelage of A’s players was inspiring, his leadership was communicative and honest—he was who the team wanted as their next manager. And given Washington’s tenure with the club, it was almost inevitable that he’d be allowed to that next step up the coaching ladder. 

On the other end of the pendulum was Geren, who was then the A’s bench coach and a former manager of the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate. Yes, he did have managerial experience. Yes, he had paid his dues coaching in the minors. Yes, he was a major league catcher for five seasons. And yes, Geren had the acumen and baseball mind to assume the role, should he be given the opportunity. 

Given the seemingly even pair of résumés, Beane’s job was a tough one, though everyone in the organization believed that he would choose the best man for the job. 

Unfortunately for Washington, Beane literally gave that job to the best man from his second wedding—his high school friend, Bob Geren. There was some dismay in Oakland, as players knew Washington to be a friendly coach who had molded several infielders into Gold Glove-caliber defenders. Washington didn’t dwell, however, as weeks later he attained the manager position that had escaped him, becoming the skipper of the AL West rival Texas Rangers. 

But for some, Wash’s hiring was a bit of a gamble; after all, he had no previous managerial experience. However, his time spent within the successful A’s organization for the previous decade more than made up for that void.

Five seasons later, the Texas Rangers are the ones who found the best man. When asked why he thought he was a good fit, Washington referred to himself as a "player's manager" who likes to keep it simple and have things done the right way. 

Each year under Washington’s helm, the Rangers have won more games, and they have reached the playoffs in successive seasons, having reached the 2010 World Series where they fell to the San Francisco Giants in five games. 

Hindsight is 20/20. But if Beane had been more far-sighted in his decision-making, it might be the A’s who are in the playoffs this season, not on the end of five straight losing seasons. 

The recent movie Moneyball has brought some attention to Washington regarding his days in Oakland. When asked how things would have been different had he been hired as the Athletics’ manager, Washington replied, "If I took this team over when I went to Texas, I believe the same thing we did in Texas, we'd be doing here." 

A recent interview about his former employer brought up a look back at the crossroads the Athletics faced. It also showed the stark difference in direction the two organizations have gone since that decision in 2006. The fork in the road could not be more divergent. 

One thing that separates the two teams is pitching and defense. That is what the Oakland organization has preached. However, it’s also something that has been vacant this past year, as the A’s ranked last in fielding.

Washington, who worked wonders with former Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez, turning him into a Gold Glove infielder, would have a strong influence in turning the team into a stronger defensive unit. 

For A’s fans, they know that the hard part of the tumultuous past season is the fact that Washington did slip out the organization’s fingers, and archrival Texas is now shining in this year's ALCS. 

As it stands, five years later, and after the firing of Beane’s friend Geren this season, the A’s are wishing they had Washington as their commander-in-chief.